Mikey Williams, a highly-regarded basketball prospect slated to join the University of Memphis next season, was arrested on Thursday in San Diego on a charge of assault with a deadly weapon. San Diego Sheriff’s Department Lt. Gavin Lanning confirmed that Williams, who ranks 34th in ESPN’s list of the top 100 recruits in the 2023 class, posted a $50,000 bond and was released early Friday morning. He is due to make his first court appearance on Thursday.
According to police documents, there are multiple counts of assault with a deadly weapon against Williams, but Lanning anticipates he will likely face one charge. Williams is accused of violating California penal code Chapter 9, Section 245(a)(2), which involves assaulting another person with a firearm. If convicted, the charge carries a maximum sentence of up to four years in prison.
The University of Memphis issued a statement, noting that it was “aware of the situation and [is] gathering more information.”
Williams has been a prominent figure in grassroots basketball since early in his high school career when his highlight videos gained him YouTube fame. He received the title of 2019-20 MaxPreps national freshman basketball player of the year at San Ysidro High School in California before transferring to Lake Norman Christian High School in North Carolina.
With nearly 4 million Instagram followers and over 2 million TikTok followers at the time of his commitment to Memphis, Williams boasts considerable online popularity. In October 2021, he became the first American high school basketball player to sign a sneaker deal with a global footwear company, inking a multiyear endorsement deal with Puma.
The 6-foot-2 guard was a coveted recruit for Memphis’ Penny Hardaway’s next recruiting class. Although he previously considered attending a historically Black college, Williams ultimately decided to play with the Memphis Tigers and signed a letter of intent with Hardaway’s program in November.
Williams’ arrest adds to a series of gun-related incidents involving college basketball this year. In February, New Mexico State canceled its season and fired coach Greg Heiar after a player was involved in a self-defense shooting. Additionally, police said that former Alabama star Brandon Miller, a projected top-five pick in this summer’s NBA draft, transported the weapon used in a killing that led to murder charges against former Alabama player Darius Miles and another individual.
In a recent appearance on the “I Am Athlete” podcast, Williams expressed his ambitions for future financial success, stating, “I’m trying to be worth a billion dollars by the time I’m 25.”
